Tony Williams was simply xviii years erstwhile when he recorded this, his 1964 debut equally a leader, but he was already a prodigious drummer who could keep a rapid-fire current of subtle accents that prodded a soloist into fresh directions. His resultant on a band was electric, as well as he had chop-chop moved to the front end ranks of jazz musicians, working amongst Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, as well as Miles Davis. More than a fine drummer, Williams was a musical visionary, as well as amongst Life Time he recorded 1 of the most forward-looking of the Blue Note albums of the '60s. It shows inwards the alternative of radical sidemen similar Sam Rivers, the explosive tenor saxophonist who had been Williams's early on mentor inwards Boston, as well as bassist Gary Peacock, as well as hence a regular associate of Albert Ayler, equally good equally the to a greater extent than innovative members of the Blue Note stable, similar Herbie Hancock as well as Bobby Hutcherson. It too shows inwards Williams's liberating approach to instrumentation, using ii basses on simply about tracks as well as none on another, as well as fifty-fifty omitting his ain drums from the flamenco-tinged "Barb's Song to the Wizard." The trio of Williams, Rivers, as well as Peacock practise a masterpiece on "Tomorrow Afternoon," amongst its heady mix of calm as well as passion, but every rail is well-crafted, challenging music.
Drummer Tony Williams' starting fourth dimension recording equally a leader (made when he was xviii as well as nevertheless billed equally Anthony Williams) gave him an chance to use an advanced grouping of musicians: tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Herbie Hancock, as well as both Richard Davis as well as Gary Peacock on bass. Williams wrote all 4 of the pieces as well as has a dissimilar combination of players on each song. The freely improvised "Memory" features Hutcherson, Hancock, as well as Williams inwards simply about colorful as well as at times spacy interplay; "Barb's Song to the Wizard" is a Hancock-Ron Carter duet; "Tomorrow Afternoon" has Rivers, Peacock as well as Williams inwards a trio; as well as all of the musicians (except Hutcherson) are on the sidelong "2 Pieces of One." The unpredictable music holds one's interest; a really potent debut for the masterful drummer.
By now, it's an irrefutable fact that drummer Tony Williams was the youngest preeminent figure inside the avant-garde travail of the mid-'60s. Every jazz fan seems to know the events that led to his international fame: afterwards intriguing trumpeter Miles Davis amongst his cutting-edge approach to drumming, he was hired as well as added to the groundbreaking "Second Great Quintet" at the ripe historic menstruation of 17. During this pregnant stint, Williams altered the trajectory of Davis' music, solidified himself equally a drum wunderkind, as well as broadened his science laid to successfully branch out from jazz into rock-oriented genres such equally fusion.
The details inwards a higher house convey already been fossilized inwards jazz history, but what close his lesser-known early on years, before breaking tradition amongst Miles Davis?
After a partnership amongst Sam Rivers at historic menstruation 13, Williams was hired past times Jackie McLean at historic menstruation sixteen as well as eventually recorded on his 1963 album One Step Beyond (Blue Note, 1963)—an adventurous endeavour that firmly established Williams equally a sought-after session drummer for Blue Note Records. As discussion of his virtuosity spread, Williams eventually landed sessions amongst simply about of the leading musicians inwards post-bop as well as the avant-garde whose albums convey since reached legendary status. Williams left an indelible grade on Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch! (Blue Note, 1964), Andrew Hill's Point of Departure (Blue Note, 1964), as well as Sam Rivers' Fuchsia Swing Song (Blue Note, 1964) to mention a few.
As Williams continued to reinvent what the drummer's role was inwards jazz, Blue Note founder Alfred Lion—a champion for documenting novel as well as innovative music, fifty-fifty if it didn't sell—offered him his ain recording dates, which were as well as hence collected for the let on of his 1964 debut studio album, Life Time. To fully encompass the grasp that Williams had over jazz at the time, he was solely xviii as well as managed to conjure a lineup that included Sam Rivers (tenor saxophone), Herbie Hancock (piano), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes, marimba), as well as 3 bassists: Ron Carter, Richard Davis, as well as Gary Peacock. Along amongst leading a post-bop dream team, all of the compositions on the album were penned past times Williams himself.
To dry reason the truth, Williams' minute endeavour for Blue Note, Spring (Blue Note, 1965), ofttimes overshadows Life Time inwards purpose due to its accessibility as well as trouble solid roots inwards structured post-bop. That's non to tell that Life Time lacks musical vision, inwards fact, the album itself is an overlooked classic that boasts a feel of adventure as well as infinite that's absent on Spring. The music on Life Time is e'er moving, surveying every facet of each composition, extracting colors, emotions, as well as vibrations; it's unfettered from the claws of tradition and, when played from start to end, galvanizes the listener's imagination.
The album begins amongst the side-long, two-part composition "Two Pieces of One." The starting fourth dimension part, "Red," begins amongst a tenor saxophone as well as bowed bass intertwining to make a somber tune on top of Williams' spastically brushed snare. Launching off of an extended bass solo, Rivers as well as Williams wallow inwards compelling interplay amongst no special management before letting Davis as well as Peacock twain for the balance of the song. "Green" picks dorsum upwards amongst brisk, vibrant runs past times Rivers over Williams' dynamic ride cymbal patterns. Increasing inwards energy, Rivers flirts amongst overblown notes before easing upwards to allow Williams illustrate his expressive, unpredictable approach to the skins.
Williams, Rivers, as well as Peacock combine for "Tomorrow Afternoon" which echoes the imaginative improvisation found on the previous, but becomes looser as well as to a greater extent than uninhibited equally it progresses. Perhaps the most notable item of this vocal is the interaction betwixt Peacock as well as Rivers. Peacock, who harbors a lyrical approach to the bass, bounces angular sets of notes off of Rivers who as well as hence repeats them, contributing to a constantly evolving cycle of fresh ideas.
"Memory" marks the album's starting fourth dimension appearance of Hutcherson as well as Hancock. The most percussive rail on the record, Williams plays his commons kit along amongst timpani, woods blocks, maracas, as well as triangle. Hancock plays inwards the shadow, setting an overarching moody tone amongst dark, sporadic chord sequences. Hutcherson, playing vibraphone as well as marimba, embellishes Williams' primitive instrumentation, performing amongst the utmost zeal as well as inventiveness.
Williams, beingness the mature participant he was, stepped out of the spotlight as well as allowed Hancock as well as Carter to perform a piano/bass twain for the terminal composition. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 vocal equally enchanting equally its title, "Barb's Song to the Wizard" is saturated amongst whimsical interplay as well as musical subtleties. Apart from the stunning performance, this vocal is a fine will to Williams' underrated compositional prowess.
In retrospect, it's slow to run into why Williams' accomplishments inwards the plain of fusion ofttimes conceal his before organic efforts; the boisterous music of the '70s is undeniably to a greater extent than pop than the experimental ideals of avant-garde jazz. Nonetheless, this music deserves to live on recognized as well as enjoyed. Constantly brimming amongst spirit, Life Time is an enthralling debut from a immature trailblazer.
Track listing:
All compositions past times Tony Williams
1. "Two Pieces of One: Red" – 8:06
2. "Two Pieces of One: Green" – 10:40
3. "Tomorrow Afternoon" – 5:35
4. "Memory" – 8:06
5. "Barb's Song to the Wizard" – 5:58
Recorded on August 21 (#1–3) as well as August 24 (#4–5), 1964.
Personnel:
Tony Williams – drums, timpani, woodblocks, maracas, triangle
Sam Rivers – tenor saxophone (1–3)
Bobby Hutcherson – vibes, marimba (4–5)
Herbie Hancock – pianoforte (4–5)
Ron Carter (5), Richard Davis (1–2), Gary Peacock (1–3) – bass
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